IR Update

A Rudd Labor Government was elected on 24 November 2007, campaigning on the key plank of substantially amending the workplace laws of the former Coalition Government, including WorkChoices.

The new system will operate generally from 1 January 2010. However, a Transition Bill will operate in 2008 until 31 December 2009.

The Transition Bill will contain the ‘safety net' of 10 national employment standards (operative from Jan 2010) - hours of work; parental leave; flexible work for parents; annual leave; personal, carers and compassionate leave; community service leave; public holidays; information in the workplace; termination of employment and redundancy; long service leave.

Key points for employers include:

• The progress of the Labor Government's legislation will depend on the positions taken by the Coalition and minor parties/independents in the Senate.  The Transition Bill may not be passed until after 1 July 2008.
• The operation of the existing workplace laws may be affected by amendments to the Workplace Relations Regulations and the manner in which the existing laws are administered and enforced under the new Labor Government.
• Employers need to consider the impact of the Labor Government's intended workplace laws on their:
  • ­ workplace relations and people strategies;
  • ­ existing industrial instruments and workplace agreements;
  • ­ development of new workplace agreements; and
  • ­ implementation of workplace change programmes and restructuring.

Courtesy of Blake Dawson Solicitors (CareersMultiList)